The Law Commission is currently reviewing all legislation relating to taxi and private hire vehicles. Whilst this review, which officials claim is designed to simplify the legislation, could potentially deregulate the industry and as such is a threat to members’ livelihoods, it also presents us with a number of opportunities.

The interim statement of the Law Commission does not commit to legally defining plying for hire, however, it does acknowledge that a two-tier system must remain in place.

We note the interim statement from the Law Commission on its consideration of taxi and private hire
legislation.

We welcome the indication that the Commission will recommend retaining the distinction between taxis and
private hire vehicles (PHVs). We are concerned, however, that the replacement of the concept of ‘plying for hire’ with the concept of ‘pre-booking’ may dilute this distinction and allow private hire vehicles to encroach on taxi drivers’ work. (paragraph 5)

Thermal wear - Finsbury Park branch
"This region notes that London Underground’s uniform issue to front-line staff is not fit for purpose. Staff are issued with almost the same uniform, no matter what the weather conditions
are, all year round.

We note the information on file regarding free and reduced travel facilities for employees of TfL and its subsidiaries and franchisees.

We note that we still need to collate information on these facilities for employees of contractors, as instructed in our previous decisions, and instruct the General Secretary to obtain this.

We note that the original resolution on this issue called for the provision of free travel facilities for licensed taxi drivers, and instruct the General Secretary to ensure that this demand is tabled to the relevant body.

As the London Cab Trade attempts to recover from the economic disaster of the Olympics caused by the scaremongering publicity from TfL - since admitted and regretted by the Mayor of London - and the decision by TfL to exclude us from the Games lane, we were again dismayed when TfL suspended the licences of over 300 new Taxi’s following a steering fault that could have endangered the lives of Driver and passenger alike.

The RMT therefore demand the following:

The IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF THE 15 YEAR RULE to ensure that those owners can continue to work so that the effect of the TX4 ‘interruption to the supply chain’ is mitigated and that the Cab fleet can cope with demand coming up to the Peak period.